Eve of Annie's 12th Birthday

Annie turns 12 tomorrow--and what a day it has been! She had her first solo performance in our church choir. We belong to the Abby of Grottaferrata, a church founded by Greek Catholics (in 1004 AD) before the Schism (in 1054 AD). So for all these years, it has been a Byzantine community of liturgy and worship, in communion with Rome. We just love the union of the two traditions. While I do not completely understand it (I am neither a historian nor a liturgist), I can say that my experience is very "universal" or "Catholic." Here is Annie in her debut!

https://youtu.be/PHvRtHy4bdk

We also gave her her birthday present--a BUNNY! It is the softest, sweetest little thing. This breed is often used as therapy pets (I'm thinking, "I could use a therapy pet!"). Everyone in our family took turns holding this shaking little critter and I am confident that, within a week, s/he will be totally at home (gender yet unspecified). 

Me and MY GIRL!!!!!!!!!! 

   

St. Catherine of Siena

 Today is St. Catherine's feast day. Here is one of my favorite prayers of this great saint and Doctor of the Church: 

Holy Spirit, come into my heart; draw it to Thee by Thy power, O my God, and grant me charity with filial fear.

Preserve me, O beautiful love, from every evil thought; warm me, inflame me with Thy dear love, and every pain will seem light to me.

My Father, my sweet Lord, help me in all my actions.

Jesus, love, Jesus, love. Amen.

Italian Home Improvements

We are renting our Dallas house to tenants. We have done a big refresh to make the house and property ready for them. 

One of the things we did was repair our remote garage door opener, as well as fix our automatic gate at our driveway. The tenants can now drive up to the driveway, use one remote to open the gate, and another to open the garage. 

All this highlights just how different things are here in our dwelling in Italy. 

We have a shed where we keep our laundry machines and refrigerator. We have to run outside every time we want to access either of them (there is only a mini-fridge in our proper kitchen).  

The door to the shed has a lock that broke. We told the maintenance guy about it, and asked him if he could fix it. Look what he did! 

Mercy

 "Mercy is heartfelt sympathy for another's distress, impelling us to succor him if we can. For mercy takes its name--misericordia--from denoting a person's compassionate heart for another's unhappiness" (Thomas Aquinas). 

God's signature trait is mercy. Lord, increase our ability to be merciful. 

Inspiring Review of Motherhood Book

 I was so touched by this review! I would have written the Motherhood book for just one person if it would have made a transformative difference in their life. Here is one such person! 

Motherhood is not an ordinary vocation - RADIANT (radiantmagazine.com)

Blessed Easter

 We had an extraordinary Easter, living on campus (camping out in the salone) and being part of the Triduum liturgies.  As Religious Life =Coordinator, Ron was working full time and even organized a student to be received into the Catholic Church in the Cathedral of Frascati on Easter. Sebastian made his First Confession and received his First Holy Communion as well, and served as an altar boy for the first time. Ron threw a huge outdoor party at the forno all day Sunday after Mass. He roasted leg of lamb in the outdoor brick oven. Incredible!